snow is upon us in a big way?

[Tajue17]

seems the storm is coming right for Mass, I want to head out tomorrow with my fowler but with all the snow coming in I'm wondering if I should bring the caplock so my gun fires,,, last year my Hawken flint fowled and wouldn't go off and I had the lock covered but the moisture still got in I guess cause it wouldn't spark even though the pan powder looked dry..

do you guys hunt in the snow with flintlocks,,if so whats the tricks?

 

[mazo kid]

I found early on that 4fg priming powder will suck up moisture out of the snowy winter air very quickly. I change the priming about every half hour or so, wiping the pan dry. Maybe a better way would be to use 3fg for the priming; that is glazed and won't take on moisture quite as fast. And of course, if it is snowing, you need a cow's knee over the lock, or hold the lock under your coat to help in keeping it dry. My $.02 worth. Good luck!

4.o2

 

[skwerl-eater 1]

I have hunted in the rain and snow, successfully many times with the flintlocks.I seal around the pan with some lube. I like to use wonder lube but anything will work ok.(Just dont use something that will freeze as it will interfere wlth the frizzen opening). I also put a little ( very little ) lube under the rear of the frizzen where it makes contact with the rim or top of the pan to seal that area. Try it tonight before you go out tommorrow, so you know how much to use without fowling your pan powder.I also press a lump of grease in between the barrel and the stock in front of the lock and up to and over the frizzen where it touches the barrel to prevent any water from traveling along barrel and into the touch hole area. And lastly a lock cover. It sounds like alot but only takes seconds and it really works! I will be out tomorrow and sunday in the snow here in NY. Good luck.

 

[Tajue17]

thanks for the post,,,, I have 3f but no glazed 3F? and have a home made cows knee also but I used it last time with snow coming down with no luck..

its so soon with me gettin up @ 5Am so I think for now I gotta do what I gotta do :hmm:

curious what else there is that works for the next storm coming in a week.

 

[rabjr]

I hunted in wet weather with a flinter, with no problem. I use 3F for prime and make sure my flint is square to the frizzen, tight and sparks great.

I had the lock covered but the moisture still got in I guess cause it wouldn't spark even though the pan powder looked dry..

You blame this on moisture but from your sentence, I see a lock that did not spark. This could be a dull flint, loose flint, soft frizzen.

 

[ebiggs1]

This was my first time hunting with a flintlock and I was exposed to all the weather Kansas has to offer. I used a frizzen stall and a cow's knee. I did use 4f for prime but I also checked it often. The gun fired every time I wanted it to. I have no doubt it will work when I want it to.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Yes, you do have " glazed" FFFg powder. That small "g" indicates that the powder is "glazed", or coated, with graphite.

Graphite conducts electricity away from the actual powder to make it safe from static electricity. It also protects the powder from absorbing moisture, unless rain, sleet, or snow fall directly onto the powder.

 

[ffg]

did anyone ever try a product called raincoat,you mix it with your priming powder and it weather proofs it

 

[rabjr]

did anyone ever try a product called raincoat,you mix it with your priming powder and it weather proofs it

Just another gimmick, and no I have not tried it because it's not needed. Hunted in all kinds of weather, shot a couple in misty damp rain and 3F has never failed to go off.

 

[Tajue17]

okay this is great stuff,,, I do know that the pierce flints I use now go off every time, I think I have at least 80shots in on the one I have on my fowler now.

anyway I'll get a cows knee and frizzen cover! and go with that,, you guys will know more about this than me I'm 39 with alot to learn I know that.

I did end up bringing my flintlock but the snow never came until later that night--> if you like reading long storys check out my very long post in the hunting storys section but that was from yesterday the day I was worried about,,, the gun went off but I missed my deer, 2nd shot to empty the gun before I left did not but the touch hole was clogged so I unclogged it with the stem of a peice of field grass but I got 3 shots the entire day with no probs and a flint that is about 80 shots old.

need to keep a touch hole pic with me now,, learning as I go.. Ted